FC United of Manchester
FC United of Manchester
FC United of Manchester

FC’s Women end league campaign unbeaten with a 10-1 victory at Curzon

After several postponements, FC United’s women ended their league campaign (not withstanding a fixture unlikely to be played v Northwich Vixens and awaiting a panel decision) with a 10-1 away victory against Curzon Ashton on Wednesday night. Every credit to Curzon Ashton, who despite the score line, showed some moments of real quality and endeavour, with only 10 players available on the night.

Maintaining the theme of tens, the result was the 10th consecutive league victory (24 unbeaten in all competitions) and the second successive game the women had registered 10 goals.

After a cagey opening, Alice Forshaw opened the account heading home an excellent Abbie Carrington cross on 18 minutes. Kirsty Chambers doubled the lead 4 minutes later with a thunderous strike from the edge of the area, scoring her second on the half hour, cleverly beating the well drilled off side trap to burst through on goal, rounding Curzon custodian Jess Duke to slot home.

Top scorer Jess Battle got in on the act in the 33rd minute latching onto the loose ball blocked from a Fran Sullivan shot and firing home for FC’s fourth of the evening. The Captain rounded off her first half hatrick ending a fine team goal after Rebecca Foster received the ball deep in her own half picking out Jess McCarrick in the centre circle who in turn slid a delightful pass into the path of Chambers to do the rest unerringly.

Foster confidently rounded off the half from the penalty spot as Sullivan’s free kick was adjudged to have been blocked by an arm on the end of the Curzon wall.

Foster also opened the scoring in the second half driving home from 8 yards from a dangerous corner swung in by Sullivan in the 55th minute. Nicole Hatcliffe made it 8-0 just past the half hour as United overwhelmed a tiring, yet persistent Curzon defence, the ball breaking to the unmarked Hatcliffe who blasted it empathically past Duke.

Battle notched her brace and 46th of a top scoring campaign, in the 70th minute after seeing a couple of earlier chances going begging. The No9 scoring No9 of the evening, making no mistake from close range.

FC United had not conceded a goal in 573 minutes of football and on 80 minutes clever play from Curzon drew a foul in the area and up stepped Amy Smith to slot past Chloe Ainsworth registering only the 7th league goal the women had conceded in their unbeaten run to the Title.

In response, Chelsea Patient surged down the right and clipped a cross back to her namesake Chelsea Flanagan who saw her shot drift narrowly wide and a minute later saw another effort superbly saved by Duke. With time running out finally, Flanagan did register her goal and FC’s 10th connecting with a superb Foster through ball to beat Duke to the ball and blast home in the 83rd minute.

All eyes now turn to Sunday’s Argyle Sports Cup Final to be played at Runcorn Linnets FC (4pm KO following the Argyle Plate Final which kicks off at noon) against Stockport County who look like finishing runners up to Burnley in the Premier Division. It will be a real test for the team who are defending the trophy at the same time as bidding for an historic treble and promises to be cracker. Get yourself to that football ground (WA7 6HP). Thank you.

Report by Rob Fullen
FC Player of the game: Rebecca Foster – 2 goals and excellent vision and range of passing from her central midfield berth.